Dragon's Brood
by StBridget
Summary: When Danny starts having unexplained symptoms, the cause surprises them both. AU Dragon!Danny verse. MPREG. McDanno established.


Hawaii Five-0 is property of CBS and its creators.

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It started with unexplained hunger. Detective Danny Williams was sitting at his desk in the Five-0 offices one day when he was suddenly overcome with hunger. He had just eaten, so he knew it wasn't him. He assumed it was his husband, soulmate, partner, and leader of Five-0, Steve McGarrett. The bond they shared allowed them to feel strong emotions from the other. "Hey, Steve," Danny yelled, "eat something!"

"I'm not hungry!" Steve yelled back.

"Yes, you are! I can feel it from here!"

Steve wandered in, looking puzzled. "No, I'm not. I just ate."

"Then what am I feeling?"

Steve shrugged. "Got me."

"Whatever." Danny gave up on the conversation and went back to his paperwork.

Next, it was a heartbeat at night. Again, Danny assumed it was Steve's. He turned over and wrapped his arms around his husband, spooning him, so he could hear Steve's heart better. Instead, he heard another beat in counter-rhythm. That was odd. But Danny was too tired to think too closely about it before he drifted back to sleep.

Then came the dreams. He was in a small, warm, dark space. Danny knew with his claustrophobia he should be freaking out. Instead he felt comfortable, safe. The feeling would linger when he awoke, fading slowly as he came to full wakefulness.

Then came the vomiting. Danny had just scarfed down several malasadas when he was overcome with nausea the first time, barely making it to the bathroom in time. "I told you not to eat so many so fast," Steve told him. Danny just wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and didn't answer.

If it was just one time, Danny could've chalked it up to the malasadas. But it kept happening. After a week, Steve dragged him into the doctor. By then, Danny had a pretty good idea what was going on, but he didn't tell Steve. Frankly, it was impossible. And if he kept telling himself that, maybe the symptoms would go away.

Unfortunately, that was not the case. The dragon doctor Steve took him to poked and prodded him, listened to his heart, listened to his lungs, and, after hearing his symptoms, stuck the stethoscope on his belly. She listened for a second. "I'd like to do an ultrasound to be sure, but at first glance, I'd say you're pregnant."

"What!?" Danny could feel the astonishment and disbelief coming from Steve. "How is that even possible."

"It happens occasionally in dragons," the doctor explained. "Dragons have always been pretty rare, and they're pretty independent, so the population tends to be scattered. The theory is, some male dragons gained the ability to become pregnant to better continue the species. It's almost never seen in modern times."

"Guess I'm the exception," Danny said drily.

Steve was upset. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Danny avoided his eyes. "I didn't know, okay?"

"Yes, you did," Steve accused. "Don't lie—I can feel it."

"It's true! I didn't know I could become pregnant. I didn't even think it was possible."

"But you suspected," Steve said.

Danny sighed. "Yes, I suspected."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Steve's voice was controlled, but Danny could tell through their bond how upset he was.

Danny became agitated. "I didn't want to believe it, okay?" His hands sliced the air as he talked. "I kept thinking if I ignored it, it'd go away."

"Until what?" Steve asked incredulously. "Until a baby dragon popped out of your stomach?"

Danny was silent.

"I'm going home," Steve said abruptly. "I need some time to myself." Danny could tell he was still seething. Danny didn't even need the bond to tell him that—he knew Steve's body language well enough—but the anger pounded into him like a wave, battering and bruising him.

"But you have the car," Danny protested. "How will I get home?" It was a weak protest. He didn't really want to be around Steve while he was in this mood.

Steve threw a twenty at him. "Call a cab."

Instead, Danny called Chin. He knew the man wouldn't ask any questions, and Danny was counting on Chin's Zen vibe to ground him. Chin didn't ask what's wrong, just asked if he wanted to talk about it and dropped the subject when Danny said no.

After Chin dropped him off, Danny stood on the porch, dreading going into the house. He'd have to face Steve sooner or later. He might as well get it over with.

Steve wasn't in the living room, so Danny passed through the kitchen and went outside. Sure enough, Steve was on the lanai, beer in hand, staring at the ocean. His emotions were clamped down tight, so Danny couldn't tell what he was feeling.

Danny approached cautiously until he was standing next to Steve, but Steve ignored him. "Don't worry, I'll get rid of it," Danny said quietly.

That got a reaction out of Steve. "What?!"

"I'll get rid of it," Danny repeated.

Steve looked at him, astonished. "Why would you want to do that?"

"Because you don't want it," Danny said, looking down at the ground and avoiding Steve's eyes, avoiding the rage he was sure was going to be directed at him.

"What on earth makes you think that?" Steve asked, unable to believe what he was hearing.

Something in Danny snapped. "I can feel it, that's what." His hands began waving in time with his words. "I can tell how angry you are. I can tell you don't want this to be true. I can tell you don't want me to have it."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Steve held up a hand to stop Danny. "That's not how I feel at all."

"Yes it is," Danny insisted. "I can _feel_ it," he repeated.

Steve stood up and grabbed Danny's hands. "Danny," he said. "You've got it all wrong. Yes, I'm having trouble believing it, but that doesn't mean I don't want it."

Danny was slightly mollified, but not entirely. "But you were so angry."

"No, I wasn't." Danny gave him the stink-eye. "Alright, I was angry," Steve admitted. "You seemed like you were expecting it, but I was taken by surprise. I didn't understand it, and when I don't understand something, I tend to get angry, and I lashed out. At you. But I didn't mean to make you think you needed to get rid of it."

"So you do want it?" Danny asked.

"I do," Steve affirmed. He tamped down all the negative emotions he'd been feeling and let down his walls, letting Danny feel how much he loved him, and how happy he was, and how excited he was that Danny was having a. . .Danny frowned. "I'm having a baby, Steve. Not a dragon."

"A baby dragon," Steve said happily.

"A baby _half_ -dragon," Danny corrected.

"Whatever," Steve said dismissively. He grinned, a goofy grin that melted Danny's heart. "He's going to be beautiful, just like you. Then I'll have three beautiful dragons in my life, you, Grace, and our son."

"We don't even know if it's going to be a boy," Danny pointed out.

"It will be," Steve said firmly, as if he knew. Danny had to admit, all things considered, maybe he did. "We're having a beautiful, baby boy dragon."

Danny gave up arguing and smiled fondly at his husband. "Goof."

Steve just kept grinning.

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A/N Yes, there will be a follow-up where Danny has the dragon, er, baby. ;) It'll be called Hatchling. I've got it mostly plotted in my mind, but I'm not sure when I'll have a chance to write it. But don't worry, I will!


End file.
